Piston-removing device



July 17, 1928.

P. H. KENNEY PISTON REMOVING DEVICE Filed Nov. 27, 1925 Patented July 17, 1928.

UNITED. STATES PATRICK H. KEQTNIEY, OF CUMBERLAND, MARYLAND.

PISTON-REMOVING DEVICE.

Application filed November 2'7, 1925.

This invention relates to a device for re moving a piston from the cross-head of a locomotive or other type of engine.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of an improved means for removing the piston from the cross-head er:- peditiously and without injury to the said cross-head. I

Another important object of this lnvention is the provision of a device for removing the piston from the cross-head adapted to be operatively positioned in the crosshead and including a plunger and means for forcing the same in piston removing direction.

With these and other objects in new, which will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures, of which: v

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of my piston removing device showing the wedge and brace members operatively positioned;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the cross-head and block showing the wrist pin, plunger, and wedge member in eleva tion; an

Fig. 3- is an end view of the cross-head with the deviceoperatively positioned therein, showing the hammer and its support in side elevation.

I The expeditious removal of a piston from the cross-head of a locomotive has been a problem that has occupied the attention of those skilled in the art since the advent of the present form of engine, owing to the fact that the piston becoming frozen renders removal very diiiicult without injury to the cross-head, since the location of the cross-head with respect to the engine preeludes the utilization of means which 'ordinarily could be employed.

In view of the above, the devices with which I am familiar have proven unsatisfactory, and it was to overcome the deficiencies of such devices, and to provide one constructed to prevent injury to the cross-head, yet embodying meansfor transmitting a powerful force to the plston in removing direction, that I designed the device forming the subject matter of this invention.

In the illustrated embodiment character- Serial No. 71,692.

izing this invention there is shown a block 1 of substantially rectangular shape adapted to fit withinthe crosshead 2; and it is to be understood that the configuration of the said block may conform to that of the par ticular cross-head in connection with which it is employed.

The block 1 is formed with a central longitudinal bore 3 adapted to receive the plunger 4, and with a transverse bore 5 spaced from the'forward end of the block and through which is insertable the pin 6 having a transverse bore 7 adapted to register with the bore 3 for a purpose which will hereinafter more fully appear. The pin 6 conforms substantially in size andconfiguration to the wrist pin (not shown) normally seating in the bearing openings 11 of the cross-head 2.

The block 1 is also formed with a transverse aperture 8 spaced from its rear end intersecting the central bore 3, and having its rear vertical wall tapering forwardly against which is adapted to slide the inclined wedgeface 9 of the wedge member 10 when the said member-is operatively positioned in said aperture, the plane face 12 adapted for sli'dable wedging engagement with the rear end 13 of the plunger 4 when driving force is transmitted to the wedge member 10 by hami nerl t swung in the same longitudinalplanc as the said wedge member by cable or other suitable means 15 see cured to the upper end of the angularly positioned support ng, member of standard 16 the lower end of said supportingstandard.

adapted to seat in aperture 17 in the block 1 vertically spaced with respect to aperture 8.

It will be noted that when the block 1 is operatively positioned in the crosshead 2 it is anchored against longitudinal movement by the pin 6 extending through the registering openings 11 and 5, and in order to in-.

sure against lateral movement the vertically spaced parallely extending brace members 18 are provided with their inner ends seating in suitable bores in the saidblock l as at 19 and their free extremities adapted to seat against the engine.

As above stated, owing to the piston 20 being so firmly secured in the crosshead 2, it has been found that such gradual pressure as could be brought to bear against the inner end of the piston, in view of the awkward position in which it is necessary toworlr, would seldom dislodge it without in some manner-breaking or injuring the cross-head andwithout a great expenditure of time and labor, and in order to overcome such difliculties I designed the above described device from which the operation would seem tobeclear, however, I desire to note certain features in connection with its operation of special importance, as follows.

When the block 1 has been operatively positioned in the cross-head, the pin 6 extending therethrough, the free or outer end of the plunger 4 contacting with the inner end of the piston 20, the wedge. 10 inserted par-' tially in the aperture 8 and contacting the rear end of said plunger, the hammer 14- weighing approximately 250 pounds or de-' signed to strike an equally heavy blow is brought into sudden contact with the outer end of the wedge 10, thereby transmitting a sharp, powerful force suddenly to the rear end of the piston through the instrumentality of the plunger 4, disengaging the piston from the cross-head.

It is apparentthat a heavy sudden jarring movement will dislodge a piston that otherwise would withstand a powerful force gradually transmitted. I

Although in practice I have found that the form of my invention illustrated in the ac companying drawings and referred to in the above description as the preferred embodiment, is the most efficient and practical, yet

' realizing the conditions concurrent with the cured therein and having wrist pin openings, said removing device includinga block member corresponding to the interior dimensions of the cross-head and adapted to seat therein,

an anchorin pin adapted to extend transversely through said block and said wrist pin openings to lock the block against longitudinal movement, a plunger movable in said block in longitudinal alignment with said piston, a transverse aperture through said wedge to impart thereto a sudden heavy blow for transmission to said piston through the instrumentality of said plunger to effect removal of the piston from the cross-v head. 1

I 2. A piston removing device adapted to be used with a cross-head having a piston secured therein and having wrist pin openings, said removing device including a block member corresponding to the interior dimensions of the cross-head and adapted to seat therein, said block having a transverse bore adapted to register with the wrist pin openings, means insertable through said openings and bore to lock the block against longitudinal movement, a plunger longitudinally movable in said block, a wedge member transversely movable through the block in spaced parallelism with said transverse bore and adapted to coact with said plunger, hammer means carried by the block and operable to contact said wedge to impart thereto a heavy blow for transmission to said piston through the instrumentality of the plunger to effect re moval of the piston from the cross-head, and brace means carried by the block and adapted to prevent lateral movement thereof when the hammer contacts said wedge.

PATRICK H. KENNEY. 

